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Forschungszentrum Jülich Not Engaged in Reactor Development

Jülich, 5 May 2014. In response to false media reports claiming that Forschungszentrum Jülich develops high-temperature reactor technology, Forschungszentrum Jülich would like to state unequivocally that it is no longer engaged in the development of reactor technology, nor has it been for many years. Similarly, Forschungszentrum Jülich is not involved in reactor construction, neither in Germany nor in China.

The Institute of Energy and Climate Research – Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6) at Forschungszentrum Jülich conducts research on issues concerned with the disposal of radioactive waste and reactor safety. This research accounts for a relatively small fraction of Jülich’s budget (approximately 2 %).

These activities are in line with Germany’s goals of transforming its energy sector, since in this way Forschungszentrum Jülich works towards providing solutions to the major challenge that disposal poses for society and, in addition, helps to improve the safety of nuclear facilities on an international scale.

No scientists employed by Forschungszentrum Jülich are working on the further development of high-temperature reactor technology, particularly not in connection with the Chinese reactor construction in Shidao. Contacts exist between Forschungszentrum Jülich and Shanghai University on safety issues, but this has nothing to do with high-temperature reactor technology. There are also contacts between Forschungszentrum Jülich and Tsinghua University in Beijing on safety issues related to high-temperature reactor technology.

All of this information is also contained in documents printed by the German federal government (nos. 18/729 and 18/1268). These documents are available in German only.